One of the left’s favorite tactics to control a society is to divide and conquer. For generations now, the liberal establishment has sought to pit blacks against whites, gays against straights and women against men. While there are differences between people, the concerted effort to exacerbate problems, increase them and then use them politically, continues on.

The latest ridiculous example is from the American Psychological Association (APA), which announced “new guidelines” regarding boys and men for psychologists in this country. According to the APA, something they term “traditional masculinity” is shown to limit “males’ psychological development, constrain their behavior, resulting in gender role strain and gender role conflict, and negatively influence mental and physical health.”

The rank absurdity of this approach is obvious. It is leftist ideology and political theory combined in a power blender with a massive heaping of sexism and bigotry.

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Essentially, the APA’s guidelines tell psychologists in this country to approach boys and men through a preconceived gender stereotype and a single lens that presumes that masculinity, i.e. natural manhood, is a disorder that needs to be manipulated and changed.

This specious approach is bad enough when you’re telling medical professionals how to view each individual patient. But make no mistake, this nonsense is meant to impact how society, and women in particular, view men, while also striking at the confidence and security within men’s understanding of themselves.

It appears the APA and the liberal cultural establishment are determined to perpetuate the fraud that all men are Harvey Weinstein, Les Moonves, R. Kelly and Bill Cosby. But American women and men know that’s not true and obscures the imperative effort to recognize, isolate and deal with the brutes that do roam our world.

These new guidelines are discussed as important in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Yet this effort to conflate all men as predators obscenely condemns the very people who are our natural partners in protecting and elevating us in all aspects of our lives.

Here’s what we know about American men: The super vast majority of them are good, wonderful partners in women’s lives. Whether these women be their mothers, sisters, best friends, lovers, wives or daughters, American men and their masculinity has made Western civilization possible through its nurturing, protection and development.

The condemnation of masculinity as naturally awful and violent misses another important point through more gender stereotyping: The horrible behavior of some women. The female of the species, while our style may be different, engages in sexual harassment, denigration, sexual assault, battery, murder and general mayhem. As women gain more power in society, the romantic view of what we are capable of will dissipate.

Already there has been signaling to U.S. companies to promote the continuing attack on men through denigration and scolding. Gillette, the makers of razors and shaving cream, heard that call loud and clear.

“Gillette, the Procter & Gamble Co. brand that for three decades has used the tagline, ‘The Best A Man Can Get,’ is building a new campaign around the #MeToo movement, a risky approach that will be the latest test of how successfully big consumer brands can navigate tricky social movements,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

“The new Gillette ad was meant to inspire positive behavior but spends too much time exposing the behavior that men have been criticized for,” said Susan Cantor, chief executive of branding firm RedPeak. Men are saying, we feel marginalized, criticized and accused rather than feeling inspired empowered and encouraged,’ ” the Journal said.

On Twitter, Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld was even more direct: “The only ones lauding the Gillette ad work is media/advertising. Everyone else sees it for what it is: a smarmy, condescending virtue signal aimed at the hardworking decent men they been price-gouging for years.”

Actor James Woods tweeted a sentiment that reflects the overwhelming reaction on social media: “So nice to see @Gillette jumping on the ‘men are horrible’ campaign permeating mainstream media and Hollywood entertainment. I for one will never use your product again.”

Responding to Mr. Woods, a Twitter user posted something indicating Gillette may have misread the mood of the country: “Boys will be boys, and men will be men. But that doesn’t make them jerks. Some boys and men behave badly, so do girls and women. Let’s not lump them all together. My husband and 2 sons are pretty darn good guys. My daughter too.”

While the viral reaction to the Gillette ad makes clear Americans are rejecting this effort to demonize men, it’s worth remembering we’re not dealing with just an idiotic misstep by a marketing company. The APA guidelines demonizing “masculinity” sends an authoritative message to society in general, creating a dangerous environment for any boy or man who does choose to seek the assistance of a psychotherapist. It’s time we stand up for ourselves and insist this pathological frenzy to marginalize boys and men stop.

This column originally appeared in The Washington Times.